First newsletter Holland Bulb market (Feb 2010)

Welcome to the first newsletter of Holland Bulb Market.The Holland Bulb Market newsletter is designed to keep you informed about important facts and developments within our company and more generally, in the bulb industryOur newsletter will be published 4 times a year.We hope you will find our newsletter informative and helpful.We welcome your feedback.Please enjoy reading it!

For autumn 2010 we introduce a complete new ‘BEST BUY’ capper-line with 60 varieties The eye-catching purple capper will impress you and your customersBecause of the assortment and it’s low price, the capper-line is also interesting for supermarkets and other major players in the market.Attached some samples!* News from the bulb fields

Crop 2010

The tulips and other Spring flowering bulbs have been planted under good circumstances.The bulb fields were covered with snow from 16 December till 18 February. Temperatures during this period: minus 5-10

An exeptional long and snowy winter!

Last week the statistics of the Spring flowering bulbs have been published.The growers planted less bulbs than last year. Tulips minus 7%, Narcissus minus 6% and Crocus minus 9 %. Overall minus 7 %. Up to now, the (pre-sale) prices are more or less at the same pice-level as last year.Many buyers (both exporters and forcers) are waiting to see how the tulip flower prices will develop in the going forcing season.

* Exhibitions in 2010

If you are considering a trip to Holland, visiting a flower-bulb exhibition is definitely recommended. The most interesting exhibitions are: Holland Flowers Festival, Lentetuin Breezand and of course The KeukenhofVery special:the historical garden HORTUS BULBORUM. The foundation manages the unique Hortus collection garden with its 3,850 spring-flowering historical bulbs. The visiting public has the pleasure of enjoying such legendary tulips as the 'Duc van Tol Red and Yellow '(1595), 'Zomerschoon' (1620) and very popular during the Tulipmania (1635-1637) period or the exotic parrot tulip 'Perfecta" (1750) and many other fascinating examples

Exports of Dutch flower bulbs to Eastern Europe are growing continually. In 2008, nearly 450 million bulbs were exported to countries in Eastern Europe, an increase by 30 percent relative to 2007. With 54 percent, the increase in the fourth quarter of 2008 was even higher. Exports doubled within three yearsExports to Eastern European countries have doubled in three years and tripled over the past six years. The bulk of exports to Eastern Europe are destined for Russia.

Exports of flower bulbs, Eastern Europe

Total exports down

Total exports of flower bulbs declined in 2008. Last year, the Netherlands exported nearly 4 billion flower bulbs, a reduction by 3 percent relative to 2007. Exports to the main import country, the United States, fell by 15 percent to nearly 800 million bulbs. The US account for one fifth of Dutch flower bulb exports. With a share of 18 percent, Germany holds second place. Last year, the Netherlands exported 700 million flower bulbs to Germany, 7 percent more than in 2007. Exports to the United Kingdom – also an important European customer – dropped by 14 percent. Due to devaluation of the British pound against the euro, bulbs have become more expensive for UK residents.